Cycling new tank; no nitrites?

[SamanthaMarie]

Hello. I have a new 2.5 gallon freshwater fish tank. I know a bit about cycling but I am at a stand still.

I set up my new tank with tap water that I treated (got rid of all chloramine etc) washed gravel and ornaments really well in hot water, set up my heater and filter. My heater brings the water to a nice 80 degrees F.

I started cycling 8 days ago. I am doing fishless cycling but using fish food flakes to help. I don't think I really have access to any media from a tank that is already set up, which is why i've been using flakes. My ammonia level is high, at about 8.0 ppm but I don't have any nitrites or nitrates.

Should cycling a 2.5 gallon tank take this long or am I doing something wrong? How often should I do water changes when cycling this tank? HELP! Thanks

 

[Andy Sager]

Hello. I have a new 2.5 gallon freshwater fish tank. I know a bit about cycling but I am at a stand still.

I set up my new tank with tap water that I treated (got rid of all chloramine etc) washed gravel and ornaments really well in hot water, set up my heater and filter. My heater brings the water to a nice 80 degrees F.

I started cycling 8 days ago. I am doing fishless cycling but using fish food flakes to help. I don't think I really have access to any media from a tank that is already set up, which is why i've been using flakes. My ammonia level is high, at about 8.0 ppm but I don't have any nitrites or nitrates.

Should cycling a 2.5 gallon tank take this long or am I doing something wrong? How often should I do water changes when cycling this tank? HELP! Thanks

The size of the tank doesn't really matter when comparing time frames for cycling. Since your ammonia level is that high, you need to stop adding ammonia producing products ( food, fish, ammonia chloride, etc) and let the nitrifying bacteria bed develop to consume what's there. No time frame. Since you don't have access to established media, it will happen when it happens. But by reducing the amount of ammonia through water changes, you reduce the amount of bacteria necessary to consume the ammonia. Your best bet is to just let it go naturally. Test for and keep track of the ammonia and nitrite levels. You should see the ammonia level start to decrease as your nitrites start to increase. No sense in checking nitrates until you have nitrites and they have risen and started to fall. ( The decrease in nitrites is when it is being converted into nitrates.)
Once your ammonia and nitrite levels have risen and fallen, you should have a good bacteria bed for the few animals you are able to put into that sized tank.

Hope this helps

 

[SamanthaMarie]

The size of the tank doesn't really matter when comparing time frames for cycling. Since your ammonia level is that high, you need to stop adding ammonia producing products ( food, fish, ammonia chloride, etc) and let the nitrifying bacteria bed develop to consume what's there. No time frame. Since you don't have access to established media, it will happen when it happens. But by reducing the amount of ammonia through water changes, you reduce the amount of bacteria necessary to consume the ammonia. Your best bet is to just let it go naturally. Test for and keep track of the ammonia and nitrite levels. You should see the ammonia level start to decrease as your nitrites start to increase. No sense in checking nitrates until you have nitrites and they have risen and started to fall. ( The decrease in nitrites is when it is being converted into nitrates.)
Once your ammonia and nitrite levels have risen and fallen, you should have a good bacteria bed for the few animals you are able to put into that sized tank.

Hope this helps

Thanks! I haven't added anymore fish food flakes since Tuesday, yet ammonia is still high, so ill just take your advice and wait. Do I need to do water changes or will that effect bacteria?

 

[ScotJudd]

When cycling a tank with NO fish, I only water change when nitrates exceed the range on the colour chart. I then do a big enough WC to drop the nitrates to <10 before adding fish.


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[Andy Sager]

When cycling a tank with NO fish, I only water change when nitrates exceed the range on the colour chart. I then do a big enough WC to drop the nitrates to <10 before adding fish.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

There's your plan Just wait it out until the full cycle is done. Nitrates, at that point, should be your guide over the weekly water change you should be doing. Always check for ammonia levels when first adding fish however as you don;t know with a fishless cycle, just how many fish you have developed a bacteria bed to handle.